The Secret Garden

Customer Reviews

Great show for any age

I have loved this movie since I was a little girl and bought it simply to remind me of childhood. Watching it as an adult has still been a great experience, I think it's a wonderful movie.

Nice family film

This was a nice family film. My kids (9) and (12) enjoyed it. Suitable for all ages. It followed the book well.

Alfred Hitchcock's "The Spooky Garden"

As a child I had read Frances Hodgsen Burnett's book, "The Secret Garden" and watched the BBC production of the same title. I immensely enjoyed both the book and the television production. I was surprised when another movie version was released in 1993. Out of curiosity I purchased the movie when it was released on home video as the BBC production was unavailable for purchase at the time. To be honest this version could have been produced by Alfred Hitchcock and titled "The Spooky Garden." The movie attempts to follow the classic story but the portrayal of the story is rather dark and lends itself to mysticism and New Age theology. The only acting which is note worthy is from Maggie Smith. She gives a chilling portrayal of Mrs. Medlock. I would advise people not to waste their money on this particular version but instead purchase either the BBC production starring Sarah Hollis Andrews or the Hallmark Hall of Fame version starring Gennie James and Colin Firth.

The Secret Garden

One of my all time favorites.I just love this movie.It's great for all.
for children,adults, even old people.

Simply enchanting

This was one of those titles I recognized but never read or watched the movies.

We meet Mary Lenox a neglected child born and raised in India. Her neglectful parents die in a massive earth quake and she has to go to England to live with her uncle.

Her arrival in less then eventful as the other orphans make fun of her and nobody meets her on the docks. She travels to the middle of nowhere and learns her new home is as large as a castle and it's her prison. Her uncle does not want to meet her. Her aunt is dead and to her surprise she learns she was the twin sister of her mother. The cold and stern house keeper Mrs. Medlock aptly played by Maggie Smith orders her to stay in her room.

She finally makes a friend who is a maid named Martha who is kind hearted and takes Mary's abuse for the most part in stride. Poor Mary doesn't even know how to dress herself but Martha does help her. When Mary later expresses a desire to play with somebody; Martha mentions her brother Dikon. They eventually meet and learn they share the same love of gardening. Dikon like his sister is a gentle soul and you see the affect they have on Mary who starts to change as she has friends.

Another discovery is the unknown cousin Colin. A bedridden sickly and very spoiled child. Born after the death of his mother; he becomes a reminder of to his father who can't deal with the death of his wife and the assumed pending death of his son. Colin is not likable and overly spoiled he starts to change when Mary stands up to his ways. As she comments that nobody sickly would scream as much as he does. Eventually; they start making it out to the secret garden and Colin starts to get healthy as he gets air and exercise.

Mary after facing death brought life to a dead household and in turn found a home that wanted her.

This is a great story and a fun movie. Normally, I avoid movies centering on children these days as they tend to be "smarmy" or the children overly smart-mouthed. This was anything but that. It's a warm story of children who make the best of what they have.

Now it's time to read the book....